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Abdominal aortic aneurysm Q&As

Published by Bupa's health information team, September 2008.

Answers to questions about abdominal aortic aneurysm

This section contains answers to common questions about this topic. Questions have been suggested by health professionals, website feedback and requests via email.

 

I have heard that Marfan's syndrome can cause an aortic aneurysm. What is Marfan's syndrome?

Marfan's syndrome is a hereditary condition that affects the way in which your body produces fibres that make up the tissues in your body that hold your joints and organs in place.

Explanation

Marfan's syndrome is a condition that affects the tissue between your joints and organs that holds them in place (the medical term for this is connective tissue). It's a hereditary condition, which means it runs in families. About one in 10,000 people have Marfan's syndrome.

People with Marfan's syndrome have a defect in a gene which produces the elastic fibres in your body. Marfan's syndrome can affect the heart, lungs, skeleton, skin and eyes, for example you may have long arms and legs and the white of your eye can be tinted blue.

If you have Marfan's syndrome, you are more likely to have an aortic aneurysm because the elastic tissue of the aorta (the largest artery in the body) isn't produced correctly. This makes your aorta weaker and so it widens.

Further information

Sources

  • Warrell DA, Cox TM, Firth JD. Oxford Textbook of Medicine. 4th ed. Oxford, 2005
  • Longmore M, Wilkinson IB, Rajagopalan S. Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine. 6th ed. Oxford, 2005
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I have an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and I've heard that these can rupture. What does this mean and what can I do to help prevent it happening?

An AAA can rupture (burst) if the weakened artery wall of your aorta can't contain the pressure of the blood inside. A ruptured aneurysm is very serious and requires emergency surgery to treat it. You should have regular check ups and change your lifestyle to help prevent this.

Explanation

If you have an AAA it should be monitored for risk of rupture (bursting). A ruptured AAA is very serious - about nine out of 10 people who have a ruptured AAA will die as a result.

Your AAA is more likely to rupture if you:

  • smoke
  • have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • have high blood pressure
  • have a large AAA - over 5.5cm
  • have an AAA that grows by more than 1cm per year

In order to help prevent your AAA from rupturing you can:

  • have regular (annual) check ups to monitor the growth of your AAA
  • stop smoking if you smoke
  • lower your blood pressure by changing your diet to a low fat, low salt diet that includes fruit and vegetables
  • increasing the amount of exercise you do

Your GP can also advise you on lifestyle changes that can help prevent your AAA from rupturing.

Further information

Sources

  • Simon C, Everitt H, Kendrick T. Oxford Handbook of General Practice. 2nd ed. Oxford, 2007
  • Longmore M, Wilkinson IB, Rajagopalan S. Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine. 6th ed. Oxford, 2005
  • Blood pressure. British Heart Foundation, 2005, Heart Information Series Number 4. www.bhf.org.uk
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I'm having surgery for my abdominal aortic aneurysm. What can I do to make my recovery easier?

You should try to be as fit and healthy as possible before your operation and prepare your home for when you return.

Explanation

Before you go into hospital there are a number of things that you can do to make your recovery quicker and easier.

You should stop smoking as smoking can increase the chances of getting an infection and slows your recovery. If you are overweight, your surgeon may recommend a weight loss programme because being overweight can also slow your recovery.

It's a good idea to prepare your home for when you return from hospital. This may involve rearranging furniture to make it easier to move around and placing commonly used items at arm level so you don't have to reach for them. It's also a good idea to stock up on non-perishable food such as frozen or tinned items, so that you don't need to go shopping immediately after your surgery.

You may be off work for up to six weeks so make sure that you have arranged this in advance. You may want to have books, CDs or DVDs at home to keep you occupied while you recover.

Further information

Sources

  • McLatchie GR, Leaper DJ. Oxford Handbook of Clinical Surgery. 2nd ed. Oxford, 2007.
  • Aortic aneurysms. Society of Thoracic Surgeons. www.sts.org, accessed 17 April 2008
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Related topics

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This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Dr Tim Cripps, DM, FRCP; Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol, and by Bupa doctors. It has also been reviewed by The Circulation Foundation. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.

Publication date: September 2008

 

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